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| Prof. N.S. Kalupahana |
| Professor in Human Nutrition |
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Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya |
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nishan.kalupahana@gmail.com, skalupahana@pdn.ac.lk |
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+94 81 239 6299 |
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+94 77 210 4189 |
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https://scholar.google.com/citations |
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| Educational /Professional Qualifications |
- Ph.D., Nutritional Sciences (major), Exercise Physiology (minor), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA Mentor: Dr. Naima Moustaid-Moussa. Dissertation title: “Genetic and nutritional studies to elucidate the role of adipose tissue in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.”
- M.Phil.(Master of Philosophy), Human Physiology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- M.B.B.S.(Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Graduated with honors
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| Employment |
- Professor in Human Nutrition, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
- Adjunct Professor and Graduate Faculty, Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
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| Research Interest |
- Research activities are focused on identifying mechanisms responsible for obesity- associated metabolic derangements with a view of developing preventive and treatment strategies for these disorders including dietary interventions. Obesity leads to a chronic low-grade inflammation in the adipose tissue, which is in part responsible for the development of whole-body insulin resistance. However, the exact trigger of this inflammatory process is hitherto unknown. The major focus of our research program is to uncover these mechanisms. We are also interested in identifying the reasons as to why individuals of Asian origin are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to Caucasians at a given body mass index. Research areas include: T lymphocytes and the onset of adipose tissue inflammation and systemic insulin resistance; adipose tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance; and mechanisms by which fatty acids (especially omega-3 fatty acids) modulate adipose tissue function. We employ in vivo as well as in vitro systems, with a spectrum of cellular and molecular biology techniques coupled with studies of whole-animal physiology to address important questions in the above areas of research.
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| Professional Experience |
| 2013 to date |
Professor in Human Nutrition, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
| 2015 to date |
Adjunct Professor, Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA |
| 2018 to date |
Graduate Faculty, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA |
| 2012 to date |
Consultant Nutritionist, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya - providing visiting clinical nutrition services to the Teaching Hospitals of Peradeniya and Kandy |
| 2014 |
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA |
| 2008 - 2013 |
Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
| 2011 – 2012 |
Research Fellow, Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA |
| 2003 – 2008 |
Lecturer, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
| 2006 – 2011 |
Graduate Assistant, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA |
| 2002 – 2003 |
Intern Medical Officer, Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka |
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| Honors and Awards |
| 2020 |
SCOPE national fellowship, World Obesity Federation |
| 2019 |
Presidential award for scientific publication, Sri Lanka |
| 2019 |
A.C.E. Koch memorial orator (invited), Physiological Society of Sri Lanka |
| 2018 |
Presidential award for scientific publication, Sri Lanka |
| 2016 |
Henry Rajaratnam orator (invited), Sri Lanka College of Endocrinologists |
| 2015 |
Bibile Memorial Orator (awarded), Kandy Society of Medicine, Sri Lanka |
| 2015 |
National Research Council Merit Award for Research Publication |
| 2014 |
International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO),
International Journal of Obesity (IJO) New Faculty Award for basic science research |
| 2014 |
IASO Travel Fellowship |
| 2014 |
Presidential Award for Scientific Publication, Sri Lanka |
| 2013 |
K.N. Seneviratne Memorial Research Award, Physiological
Society of Sri Lanka |
| 2011 |
American Society for Nutrition (ASN) nutrient-gene interactions research interest section Poster Competition – 1st place |
| 2011 |
ASN energy and macronutrient metabolism research interest section Student and Postdoc Abstract Award |
| 2011 |
University of Tennessee, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Graduate Student Research Award |
| 2010 |
ASN / Nutritional Sciences Council (NSC) Graduate Student Research Award |
| 2010 |
Invited attendee, Postdoctoral Recruiting at the McGarry Symposium, UT Southwestern Medical Center |
| 2010 |
The University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Honors for extraordinary professional promise |
| 2010 |
Gamma Sigma Delta Ph.D. graduate student Award of Merit |
| 2010 |
American Society for Nutrition - nutrient gene interactions research interest section poster competition – Honorable Mention |
| 2010 |
Award for Outstanding Poster Presentation (2nd place) at Boshell Diabetes Day, Auburn University |
| 2010 |
Graduate student award (2nd place) at Comparative & Experimental Medicine and Public Health Research Symposium, University of Tennessee |
| 2010 |
Ruby McKeel Rives Scholarship |
| 2009 |
American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellowship |
| 2009 |
University of Tennessee Graduate Student Senate Travel Award |
| 2009 |
National Institutes of Health Travel Award to participate in the NIH /
ODS research practicum |
| 2008 |
Catherine Burton Chi Omega Scholarship |
| 2005 |
Kandy Society of Medicine Gold medal for the best research presentation at the annual academic sessions |
| 2005 |
International Federation of Clin Neurophys Travel Award |
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| Memberships in Professional Societies |
- American Society for Nutrition (regular member since 2010)
- Physiological Society of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Medical Association
- Sri Lanka College of Endocrinologists (Current council member)
- Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association (Current council member, past vice-president)
- Nutrition Society of Sri Lanka
- Kandy Society of Medicine – Past secretary and current council member
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| Professional Service |
| Board of Studies |
- 2017 to date: Member of Specialty board on Clinical Nutrition, PGIM, University of Colombo
- 2015 to date: Member of board of study in Basic and Medical Sciences, PGIM, University of Colombo
- 2015 to date: Member of Specialty board in Physiology, PGIM, University of Colombo
- 2015 to date: Member of Curriculum development committee for MD clinical nutrition, PGIM, University of Colombo
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| Examiner |
- MD (surgery) Part I examination, University of Colombo
- MD (Clinical Nutrition) Part I examination, University of Colombo
- MD (Clinical Nutrition) Part II examination, University of Colombo
- Ph.D. Examiner for Queensland University of Technology, Australia, University of Peradeniya, University of Colombo and University of Sri Jayawardenenpura, Sri Lanka
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| Grant Review Committees |
- 2015 Reviewer, National Research Council, Sri Lanka
- 2012 Reviewer, Medical Research Council (MRC) – UK
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| Guideline Committees |
- Obesity and diabetes guidelines, Sri Lanka College of Endocrinologists; Food based dietary guidelines, Sri Lanka; Diabetes guidelines, Hypertension guidelines Ceylon College of Physicians, Sri Lanka
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| Consultant |
- Nutrition consultant, Plan International Country Strategic Plan for Sri Lanka 2017-2022
- Health Sector consultant, Central Provincial Council of Sri Lanka, 5-year plan, 2018
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| Editor |
- 2015 to 2016: Sri Lanka Journal of Medicine
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| Editorial Board Member |
- 2016 to date: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (Impact Factor: 4.8)
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| Journal Reviewer |
- International Journal of Obesity
- American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
- Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
- Obesity
- Physiological Genomics
- Gene
- Nutrition and Metabolism
- The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
- Journal of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System
- Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
- Hormone and Metabolic Research
- Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
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| Postgraduate Students (Current) |
- Mahsa Yavari, Texas Tech University, USA – Ph.D.
- Bimba Goonapienuwala, Texas Tech University, USA – Ph.D.
- Upul Senarath, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka – Ph.D.
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| Postgraduate Students (Past) |
- Kalhara Menikdiwela, Texas Tech University, USA – Ph.D.
- Kembra Albracht, Texas Tech University, USA – Ph.D.
- Sanjeewani Fonseka, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka - Ph.D.
- Bimba Goonapienuwala, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka - MPhil
- Isuri Jayawardena – University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka - MPhil
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| Funding and Grants Awarded |
- 2015–2017: Obesity Research Custer, Texas Tech University. “MaternalSupplementation of Omega 3 Fatty Acids Alleviate Obesity-Associated Inflammation & Diabetes in the Offspring.” Total award: $ 8000. Role: collaborator
- 2014–2015: International Research Center, University of Peradeniya. “Identification of mechanisms responsible for insulin resistance in Sri Lankan adults”. Total award: Rs. 500,000. Role: PI
- 2009–2011: American Heart Association, Greater Southeast Affiliate, predoctoral fellowship 09PRE2260238“Metabolic effects of caloric restriction in mice over expressing angiotensinogen in adipose tissue”. Total award: $41,000. Role: PI
- 2004–2006:Kandy Society of Medicine, Sri Lanka, “Neurophysiological evaluation of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and radiculopathy”. Total award: Rs. 100,000. Role: PI
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| Invited Presentations - International |
- “Adipose tissue inflammation as a link between obesity and metabolic syndrome”, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA, 2011
- “Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ”, symposium lecture, 3rd Biennial Conference of South Asian Association of Physiologists, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2012
- “At the Cross Roads of Obesity and Immunology”, FASEB Summer Conference on Nutrient Sensing and Metabolic Signaling, Big Sky, MT, USA, 2014
- “Obesity in Asia”, Texas Tech University Obesity Cluster Seminar, Texas, USA, 2014
- “Obesity – an emerging problem in South Asia” Keynote speech at the 2nd international conference on science and technology for society organized by Vishwashanthi multipurpose society, India, May 2015
- “Enteral Nutrition in the Intensive Care Unit” 2ndSAARC Critical Care Congress hosted by Sri Lankan Society of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, 31stJuly, 2016
- “Nutritional Considerations in Aging-related Sarcopenia”19th Congress of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Society of Asia (PENSA 2018), Seoul, Korea, 15th June, 2018.
- “Nutrition in Metabolic syndrome”, plenary lecture at Apollo International Clinical Nutrition Update (AICNU) 2018, Chennai, India, 5th August, 2018
- “Dietary Bioactive Compounds”, Philippine Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (PhilSPEN) 12th Annual Convention, November 2018
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